United Kingdom

25 July 2019; DW: The British prime minister has vowed to push through Brexit — even without a deal. Johnson has backed an October 31 deadline to leave the EU, describing it as the beginning of a "new golden age for the United Kingdom."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday told Parliament that he was committed to the October 31 deadline to leave the EU "for the purpose of uniting and re-energizing our great United Kingdom and making this country the greatest place on earth."

LONDON, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Britain's new Prime Minister Boris Johnson named the first of his new front bench ministers on Wednesday night, just hours after moving into 10 Downing Street.

In what has been the biggest political reshuffle since the early 1960s, more than half of government ministers who served under former Prime Minister Theresa May were either sacked or resigned.

LONDON (AP) — The latest on Boris Johnson officially becoming Britain’s new prime minister (all times local):

3:15 a.m.

Australia’s prime minister has congratulated Boris Johnson and hopes to ink one of Britain’s first bilateral trade deals after Brexit.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday he and Johnson are both looking forward to meeting at the Group of 7 summit in France next month and to “moving very quickly, when the opportunity presents” to reach a trade deal.

LONDON (AP) — Boris Johnson took over as Britain’s prime minister Wednesday, vowing to break the impasse that defeated his predecessor by leading the country out of the European Union and silencing “the doubters, the doomsters, the gloomsters” who believe it can’t be done.

But the brash Brexit champion faces the same problems that flummoxed Theresa May during her three years in office: heading a government without a parliamentary majority and with most lawmakers opposed to leaving the EU without a divorce deal.

24 July 2019; AFP: The EU is ready to hit the United States with extra tariffs on goods worth 35 billion euros if Washington slaps duties on its cars, its trade chief said Tuesday.

The warning by EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom came as she said a plan by Europe and United States to reach a limited trade deal was at a standstill.

24 July 2019; DW: Boris Johnson is assuming control of Britain, taking over from Theresa May. The day's proceedings will start with one final Prime Minister's Questions session for Theresa May Follow the latest here.

What you need to know:

- Theresa May will ask Queen Elizabeth II to invite Boris Johnson to form a new government

- The Queen is expected to appoint him during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Boris Johnson’s victory in the race to become Britain’s next prime minister (all times local):

2:25 a.m.

New Zealand says it’s ready to begin negotiating a free-trade agreement with Britain when Britain is ready.

Boris Johnson is due to take office as British prime minister on Wednesday and is likely to have many strong Brexit supporters in his administration.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she had congratulated Johnson via text message and is sure he will want to discuss the trade negotiations.

23 July 2019; AFP: Britain said Monday it was "not yet in a position" to decide what involvement China's Huawei should have in the UK's 5G next-generation telecoms network.

Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright told parliament that London was still seeking clarity on the implications of US action against the Chinese telecoms giant, adding it would be "wrong to make specific decisions" beforehand.

23 July 2019; AFP: Boris Johnson won the race to become Britain's next prime minister on Tuesday, but will face a confrontation over Brexit with Brussels and members of his own party as well as a tense diplomatic standoff with Iran.

The former London mayor easily beat his rival, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, in a poll conducted among members of the governing Conservative Party.

LONDON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Britain is seeking to put together a European-led maritime protection mission to protect shipping in the Gulf following the seizure of a British oil tanker by Iran, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the House of Commons Monday.

Updating MPs about the crisis, Hunt announced the Department of Transport has raised the security level for British-flagged shipping, advising against all passage in Iranian waters and, for the moment, in the entire Strait of Hormuz.